Ash receiver



y J. w. HUTCHBY ETAL 2,241,034

ASH RECEIVER Filed May 15, 1939 Patented May 6, 1941 ASH RECEIVER John W. Hutchby, Sudbury, and Kleanthees G. Granitsas, Marlborough, Mass.

Application May 15, 1939, Serial No. 273,694

3 Claims.

This invention relates to ash receivers. A receiver of this kind is intended not only to receive ash knocked from the tip of a cigarette or cigar and as a container for discarded stubs, burnt matches, etc., but also to sup-port the lighted and partially burned cigarette or cigar while it is temporarily laid aside by the smoker.

As a temporary support for a partially consumed cigarette the receiver should be so designed that the cigarette may be deposited therein and removed therefrom without difficulty or the exercise of especial care; the lighted end should be so supported that the embers will not be extinguished prematurely by contact of the lighted end with extended surfaces which are of high heat-conductivity, nor by smothering in ashes; the butt end should be supported upon a substantially ash-free element; and above all the receptacle should be so designed as adequately toretain the cigarette once properly between the rim I2 and the horizontal bottom Id of the tray is approximately 30, but it is contemplated that desirable results may be obtained even though the slope be increased to 45 or thereabouts. Preferably the width of the a rim l2 between its inner and outer edges should deposited therein so that it will not roll or other- Wise accidentally fall out.

Common types of ash receiver do not meet the above requirements. In particular they do not afford adequate retention of the partially burned cigarette, as is evidenced by the damage, enormous in the aggregate, resultant from the dropping of lighted stubs upon finely finished tables or other furniture, tablecloths, rugs and other floor coverings.

The principal object of is to provide an ash receiver so devised as to afford adequate means for retaining the partially burned cigarette in such manner as substantially to insure that it will not accidentally the present invention 1;

drop out of the receptacle after once being placed .1;

therein; to provide an ash receiver which furnishes a proper support for the lighted cigarette so that it will not be prematurely extinguished and so that the butt end will not be contarru nated by ashes; and which may be constructed Y very cheaply and simply and yet which may be of good appearance and embody artistic and ornamental features if desired.

In the accompanying drawing certain desirable embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example,

Fig. 1 being a plan view of an ash receiver embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 being a diametrical vertical section;

Fig. 3 being a fragmentary vertical section illustrating a modification; and

Fig. 4 being a fragmentary vertical section showing the manner in which a lighted cigarette is supported and the final position taken by stubs in the tray.

The receiver as here illustrated comprises a receptacle or tray ill of saucer-like contour, including the base portion l2 and the outwardly and. upwardly inclined, preferably smooth and polished rim l2. As shown, the angle included be at least 1%, although a substantially greater width may be used to advantage.

Within the tray is mounted the rigid supporting ring IS. The material chosen for this ring should be such that it is not easily corroded or damaged by contact with the burning cigarette. Stainless steel wire has been found desirable. Preferably the transverse diameter of the ring l8 should be quite small, for instance wire of the order of diameter or less may be used in order that the ring will not conduct away heat from the lighted end of the cigarette so rapidly as to extinguish the embers. This supporting ring I8 is disposed in a plane located substantially below that of the upper edge of the rim l2, for example, from to below said edge, that is to say, a distance at least as great as the diameter of a cigarette, so that when a cigarette is placed in the receptacle with its opposite ends resting upon the rim and ring, respectively, it must necessarily slope inwardly and downwardly.

Preferably, unless the base I? be substantial- 1y deeper than here illustrated, the plane of the ring l8 should be somewhat above that of the lower edge of the rim l2 in order to provide adequate clearance below the ring for ashes and stubs. Moreover this ring should be spaced a sufiicient distance from the nearest point of the tray to provide adequate room to allow a stub to slide freely down between the ring and tray into the bottom of the latter, for instance the ring should be spaced at least and preferably from the nearest point of the tray, that is to say, a distance substantially larger than the diameter of a cigarette.

The ring I8 is rigidly supported in concentric relation to the tray by any suitable means but in such a way that as large a part of its circumference as is practical is left available to form the desired narrow support. As illustrated, the ring is carried by three equidistantly spaced posts 16 rigidly secured to the bottom M of the tray, for example by rivets or spot welding. These posts, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, are of sheet metal and have broad upper portions disposed in radial planes, said upper portions having cut manner. It will be noted that the ring is a simple narrow annulus, wholly unobstructed at its center, so that when a cigarette is disposed in the receptacle with its lighted end resting on the ring there is nothing within the ring with which the lighted end of the cigarette might come in contact.

The posts illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 have broad tops as above noted, and posts of this or equivalent shape have the further advantage that when a pipe is placed within the tray the ring will support the pipe bowl and one of the posts i6 will steady the bowl and prevent it from upsetting and spilling its contents.

It will be noted that when a lighted cigarette is placed in the receiver, as indicated for example at 28 in Fig. 4, the ring [8 engages the cigarette behind its lighted end so that the ring does not interfere with the normal burning of the cigarette; However, should the cigarette be left in that position long enough for it to be consumed until the embers or ash reach the ring, then the action of gravity tends to cause the cigarette to drop down into the base of the .7

tray. As the cigarette so drops, the lighted end wipes against the ring, thus tending to knock off the ash and embers and so to extinguish the cigarette. In any event, when the lighted end is no longer supported by the ring, the inclination of the rim I2 is such that the cigarette stub will ordinarily slide down into the base substantially to the position indicated at 26 (Fig. 4). Thiswill take place even if the cigarette be of such length that when placed in the tray the butt end extends beyond the upper edge of the rim, as shown at 22. Thus any danger that a lighted cigarette will fall out of the tray is wholly eliminated.

By reason of the general conical contour of the rim [2 and the fact that this rim is preferably smoothly polished, there is a strong tendency for any cigarette, however carelessly it may be placed or dropped within the receiver, to roll or slide inwardly and either to come to rest supported in part by the ring and in part by the rim, or to slip down so that one end is below the ring and thus safely held against accidental escape from the receptacle. The device thus affords substantial assurance against damage to the surroundings by reason of failure of the indifferent smoker properly to place his cigarette in the receptacle.

While the receptacle as herein illustrated is shown as of thin sheet-like material, for example sheet metal, it is to be understood that the receiver may be made of any other suitable material, for instance one of the synthetic resins. glass, or other material which may be formed by .a molding or equivalent process. If made by such a molding process it is contemplated that the supporting ring with its posts or equivalent elements may be made integral with the remainder of the receiver, although if preferred the supporting ring with its posts may be made separate from the tray, even though the latter itself be molded.

dimensions have been recited in the above description they are to be understood as indicating preferred relationships and as not necessarily limiting the invention in its broader aspects to the precise dimensions specified.

I claim:

1. An ash tray consisting of a saucer having an upper internal conical surface merging into an intermediate surface of different configuration than the first surface which then merges into a flat surface, a ring in position above the flat surface and lying in a plane substantially parallel to the flat surface, said ring being spaced above the fiat surface a distance approximately equal to the distance from the ring to a line where the conical surface merges into the intermediate surface, said distance being not less than the greatest diameter of a cigarette, and means for supporting the ring in such spaced relation so that the upper edge of the conical surface is in a plane above the plane of the ring and so that any normal line from a point in the ring to the intermediate surface is of a length substantially greater than the diameter of a cigarette.

2. An ash tray consisting of a saucer having an upper internal conical surface merging into an intermediate surface of curved configuration which then merges into a flat surface, a ring in position above the flat surface and lying in a plane substantially parallel to the flat surface, said ring being spaced above the flat surface a distance approximately equal to the distance from the ring to a line where the conical surface merges into the intermediate surface, said a distance being not less than the greatest diam- While certain desirable embodiments of the I invention have been illustrated by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise embodiments, but is to be regarded as broadly inclusive of any equivalent constructions, and that when specific eter of a cigarette, and means for supporting the ring in such spaced relation so that the upper edge of the conical surface is in a plane above the plane of the ring and so that any normal line from a point in the ring to the intermediate surface is of a length substantially greater than the diameter of a cigarette, said means each consisting of material having a formation in one plane and a formation in a second plane and a curved formation between the two formations.

3. An ash tray consisting of a saucer having an upper conical surface merging into an intermediate arcuate surface which then merges into a flat surface, said conical surface being of a radial width of at least 1 inches and inclined at least 30 to the horizontal, a ring in position above the flat surface and lying in a plane substantially parallel to the flat surface, 'said ring being of a radial thickness of approximately of an inch and being spaced above the flat surface a distance approximately equal to the distance from the ring to a line where the conical surface merges into the intermediate surface, said distance being not less than of an inch and the upper edge of the conical surface being in a plane approximately of an inch above the plane of the ring, and supports for supporting the ring in such spaced relation, and so that any normal line from a point in the ring to the intermediate surface is of a length substantially greater than the diameter of a cigarette, such supports comprising a plurality of legs.

JOHN W. HUTCHBY. KLEANTHEES G. GRANITSAS. 

